Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

My Review:

The Chicagoland Vampire series continues to fascinate me, the characters are fantastic and the dialogue is sharp and witty. In this installment the shapeshifters have come to Chicago to discuss their immediate future and whether or not they should "come out" to the public. We also have a turning point in the relationship between newbie vampire Merit and Ethan, her master that takes place. The plot moves at a good pace and I was completely captivated by the story.

Merit is continuing to grow as a vampire, she's still somewhat uncomfortable with letting the "vampire" be in charge and is trying to retain as much of her humanity as possible, but she realizes that in order to do her job as Sentinel for Cadogen house that she has no choice but to improve her skills. At the beginning of the story her friendship with best friend Mallory is also under a bit of strain from the events that took place in Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 2), and she's also dealing with her "break-up" with Morgan, the head of Navarre House and her continued attraction to Ethan Sullivan her vampire master.

Ethan continues to be a contradiction as a vampire master, he's attracted to Merit on a romantic level, yet he continues to put politics and maneuvering above his or Merit's personal needs. Ethan's backstory is also filled in some more and we also get additional history about Cadogen house and it's power structure. In an effort to reach out to others and make allies, Ethan agrees to lend Merit's services to Gabrielle Keene, the leader of the North American Shapeshifters.

Gabrielle Keene and the 3 other pack leaders are meeting in Chicago to discuss the immediate and future plans for the Shapeshifter community- do they go home to their hidden base in Alaska or do they come out to humans and possibly ally themselves with the vampires? I can't say enough about Gabrielle, he's uber sexy and I just loved every scene that he made an appearance in. We also find out that there are unresolved issues between the vampires and the shapeshifters that have lead to some interesting prejudices amongst members of the two groups, something that they will need to overcome if they become allies.

The plot thickens as several attempts are made to kill Gabrielle prior to and during the shapeshifter meetings, we also see Ethan and Merit grow closer as they protect Gabrielle, which leads to a particular event that finally pushes Merit to mend fences with both Mallory and Catcher, Mallory's sorcerer boyfriend. The end of the story resolves some of open storyline but leaves several situations open, including Merit and Ethan's relationship and where they will go next. I have already pre-ordered the next book in this series Hard Bitten: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel.

Join the sassy ladies of Fergus, Idaho, as they protect their town in this quirky historical by award-winning author Susan Page Davis. A crime spree has divided the men in town, so Gert Dooley forms the Ladies’ Shooting Club to protect their businesses, homes, and families. But when one of their members is murdered, will these feisty gals have what it takes to find the killer before he strikes again? Will the new sheriff put the club out of work, or will he surrender his heart to one crack shot lady?

Veronica's Review:

The first in the Ladies’ Shooting Club series, The Sheriff’s Surrender is sure to delight anyone who likes a dash of romance and mystery thrown into inspirational, historical fiction.

The story is set in the Wild West. The plot is pretty straight-forward: a small town on the edge of the frontier is being plagued by violent crime, and the women are fed up. They decide to defend themselves, trained by the unglamorous old maid Gert, who happens to be a crack shot. The author, Susan Page Davis, keeps it interesting with some unexpected twists and turns to the plot, as well as having a mix of well-developed characters, and of course the light, but sincere, romance.

Author Davis is skilled at painting vivid scenes with just a few witty comments- one of the aspects of the book that I really appreciated. She also added enough cultural tension and ethical decisions to give the book an unusual depth for this genre. The women of the Ladies’ Shooting Club are not out to prove anything to anybody: they just want to feel more secure in their town. Nonetheless, some of the Town Fathers do not appreciate women running around with guns (they might hurt themselves!) and *gasp* actually leaving the home at all. The rest of the men in town have to decide if they are going to support their women or go along with the opinionated men.

On the other hand, the ladies have their own ethical quandaries: do they allow the unappealing homeless woman to shoot with them? How about the tavern girls? How about the tavern girls- wearing pants?!

Meanwhile, there is the mystery of who is perpetrating the violence, and what the criminal is after. And of course- the story ends with a bang.

Overall, a fun read, and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

I like to look at magazines, mostly fashion...sometimes cooking ....and now some book type magazines. I recently purchased a 2 year subscription to RT Book Reviews. These are the same people that put on a large authors and readers convention every year (2011 will be in Los Angeles).

I've just received my November 2010 issue and was really thrilled with the cover- since I've ordered the book that they've highlighted. I'm a little behind on reading the series but I do love Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen Series because it combines mystery, romance and usually several good recipes. How can you ask for more?

I just recently started to acquire the Leslie Meier books to read too so this is a perfect anthology :)

So are you reading any magazines that have to do with books? Inquiring minds want to know.﻿

Monday, September 27, 2010

So today is the start of "Banned Book Week", it's the week where the American Library Association draws attention to the most "Challenged" books that exist in our society today. I never really thought much about this topic until I happened to glance at the list of books and was shocked by some of the books that I saw on the list. The more I looked, the angrier I got.

I applaud any parent who realizes that their child is not mature enough to handle certain topics but that should not mean that the book gets banned from public libraries- it might just need an age requirement in order to be checked out.

I'm going to highlight some of the books that I read when I was in grade school or high school that are now on the list:

1. Mark Twain by Samuel Clemmons- I read this book and watched the Walt Disney movie when I was a young child. While the language that is used in the book is not acceptable today, the book is worth reading. This is something that I would let an older child read with a conversation of what is and isn't acceptable in our society and how we have grown and changed over the years.

2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee- This is a fabulously written book and in my opinion is a cry to arms against the social injustice of racism and the evils that it perpetrates in our society. The movie adaptation is fantastic and ranks twenty-fifth on the American Film Institutes 10th Anniversary List of the greatest American movies of all time.

3. Charlotte's Webb by E.B. White- I loved this book and can't even imagine what has caused this book to be on the list.

4. Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne- Really, again no clue as to why this book would be on the banned or challenged list and all I can say is "Wake Up" people.

5. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell- I'm assuming that this is banned due to the racism of the time but I found this book to be interesting and also a warning. This is a book that I would recommend for older teens but still would not ban.

6. TheLord Of The Rings by JRR Tolkien - Again I have no idea why this book would be banned except that it is a fantasy based on folklore. Seriously if you can't tell the difference between reality and fiction.....it's time to get a clue!

7. The Call Of The Wild by Jack London- While I personally found this to be a boring book to read, I certainly don't think it should be banned or challenged. It's an interesting look at our American past. Again this is a book for an older child- clearly not meant for someone who is not mature.

8. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier- This is a fantastic book but again is meant for a mature reader. The movie adaptation is also fantastic!

9. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hamett - Another great classic meant for a mature reader. Another fantastic film adaptation.

10. The War Of The Worlds by H.G. Wells- While this book was not necessarily my cup of tea, it too can be read by a mature reader. There have been several adaptations of this book and while the version from the 1950's is very campy...I kinda like it.....

So be informed and read one of the banned books....I dare you!

Here is a link to the American Library Association - just put Banned Books in their search engine to see everything that is going on this week

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

So today there aren't as many books releasing and I'm only purchasing one this week

Blurb:

Furious at his grandmother s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck and his heart at the card table against a most unlikely opponent.Mired in scandal after his parents mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans . . . and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

Enchanted for thousands of years, the shape-shifters known as the Dragon's Teeth Warriors have awakened to find the world a vastly different place. Their leader, concerned for their morale, dares to take them on a mission to confront the fullness of everything they've lost. Little does Drake realize that this dangerous mission will give him a renewed purpose. And if they succeed these Pyr will have to question everything they thought they knew about the past—and confront a quest for the future.

My Review:

This is a very short novella whose focus is the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" that were released from their enchanted prison in the book Winter Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL). We are given the opportunity to discover more of the mythology behind this series and of the role that each group plays. At this time the novella is only available in ebook format.

Drake is the leader of the rescued "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , he's faced with the task of keeping his warriors together and deciding their involvement in the war between the Pyr and the Slayers. He's also a man who's experiencing some depression and anger at what has happened to him and his men. He knows that the world has changed dramatically since his imprisonment, his fear has promoted him to decide to take his warriors back to their home in Delphi in the hopes that once the men see that everything and everyone they knew is gone that they will be able to move on in this new life.

Veronica is an American woman in Delphi looking for her missing husband, a soldier who had been sent on a secret mission. When her path crosses the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , Veronica provides purpose to Drake and his men and they are reminded of why they became warriors. Her role is small but important in this short story.

The conclusion of the story lets us know what the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" have decided to do about their future and on whose side they will be joining the fight. I really enjoyed this short novella and felt that it was a good bridge for these new characters which could end up being of pivotal importance to the war between good and evil. I look forward to reading the next full book in this series, Whisper Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL), which is currently out.

Last to Die by Kate Brady (#2 in Sheridan)Longarm on a Monument Valley Manhunt by Tabor Evans (#382 in Longarm)Lost Empire by Grant Blackwood (#2 in Fargo Adventure)Lost Empire by Clive Cussler (#2 in Fargo Adventure)Love Bites by Adrienne Barbeau (#2 in Vampyres of Hollywood)Love Me If You Dare by Carly Phillips (#2 in Most Eligible Bachelor)Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (#8 in Harmony World)More Than Words by Judith Miller (#2 in Daughters of Amana)Murder on the Bride's Side by Tracy Kiely (#2 in Elizabeth Parker Mystery)My Soul to Keep by Sharie Kohler (#4 in Moon Chasers)Never Trust A Rogue by Olivia Drake (#2 in Heiress in London)Never-ending-snake by Aimée Thurlo (#16 in Ella Clah )Primal Instincts by Susan Sizemore (#8 in Primes Series)Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan (#1 in Shadow World)Radiance by Alyson Noel (#1 in Immortals Spin-Off)Radiance by Alyson Noël (#1 in Immortals Spin-Off)Rebel by Claire Delacroix (#3 in Fallen)

It's Lora Leigh- do I need to say anything else?

Sacrifice by Dakota Banks (#2 in Mortal Path)Scared Stiff by Annelise Ryan (#2 in Mattie Winston)Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn (#2 in Children Of The Mist)Sparks by Laura Bickle (#2 in Anya Kalinczyk)The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall (#2 in Ada's House)The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (#1 in Infernal Devices)The Darkest Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay (#2 in Charlie Madigan)The Devil by Ken Bruen (#8 in Jack Taylor)The Echo of Violence by Jordan Dane (#3 in Sweet Justice)The Haunted by Jessica Verday (#2 in Hollow)The Hawk by Monica McCarty (#2 in The Highland Guard Series)The Lucifer Code by Charles Brokaw (#2 in Thomas Lourds)The Lucifer Code by Charles Brokaw (#2 in Thomas Lourds)The Skin Map by Stephen R Lawhead (#1 in Bright Empires)The Unclaimed Duchess by Jenna Petersen (#2 in Billingham Bastards)The Viking Takes a Knight by Sandra Hill (#9 in Viking Series I)The Waters Rising by Sheri S Tepper (#2 in A Plague of Angels)The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (#1 in Stormlight Archive)The Way of the Guilty by Jennifer Stanley (#3 in Hope Street Church Mystery)TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow (#1 in TimeRiders)Unraveled by Gena Showalter (#2 in Crossroads High)

I'll admit that I love this cover....and can't wait to read this!

When I Was Joe by Keren David (#1 in When I Was Joe)Wicked Delights of a Bridal Bed by Tracy Anne Warren (#4 in Byrons of Braebourne)Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier (#16 in Lucy Stone Mysteries)So what's on your buy list or wish list for today? Let me know by posting below.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

So I'm in the mood for a lazy day where I get to read and relax and just let my mind wander where it will. I might do a load of laundry but nothing else.

In honor of my lazy day, I'll be giving away a copy of

Loretta Chase's newest romance

Last Night's Scandal

After surviving the perils of Egypt, Peregrine Dalmay, Earl of Lisle, is back in London, facing the most dire threat of all: his irrational family . . . and Miss Olivia Wingate-Carsington. A descendant of notorious—but very aristocratic—swindlers, the delectable redhead has the ability to completely unhinge him and a long history of dragging him into her scandalous schemes.

Olivia may be Society's darling, but she's aware a respectable future looms menacingly. And so when Lisle is forced to go on a family mission, she sees this as the perfect chance for one last adventure—even if it is with the one man in the world she can't wrap around her finger. But really, she only wants to help . . .

Which is why Lisle and Olivia find themselves in a gloomy Scottish castle inhabited by spiteful ghosts and craven murderers . . . and a shocking secret: the greatest peril of all may be burning within their own stubborn hearts.

Contest Rules

1. Leave a comment below about your perfect lazy day plans and make sure to include your email address so that I can contact you if you win.

2. Contest open to US and Canada Residents Only due to shipping costs.

When Katie McCormick finds out that her sister is marrying her ex, she finally agrees to a setup for the big day. To her surprise, Jackson is a catch. But when wedding catastrophe ensues, will their sparks fizzle or ignite into flames?

My Review:

This is a light, fast and fun novella that takes place in the Fool's Gold Series from Susan Mallery. None of the characters from the series are in this novella but they aren't necessary in this story. The character development was strong and the level of humor was actually higher in this novella than in some of the books in the series. I really enjoyed reading this short story.

Katie McCormick is a young 27 year old woman who is still single and has a successful career as the sports writer for the Fool's Gold newspaper. Yet for some reason her family chooses to treat her as if she's not smart, successful or attractive because she's not married. The fact that the man she was dating ditched her for her younger sister over a family dinner just adds insult to injury. Needless to say Katie's relationship with her younger sister, Courtney, could use some help. When Katie has to attend Courtney's wedding, her mother Janis steps into the picture and arranges for Katie's date/escort to be her childhood nemesis, "Howie" Jackson Kent, the son of Janis' best friend. At first Katie is reluctant to having "Howie" as her date since they could barely stand each other as teens but after some verbal wrangling back and forth with her mom, she surrenders and reluctantly agrees to "Howie" as her date.

Howard "Howie" Jackson Kent has physically changed since his awkward teenage years. He's no longer a nerdy, geeky, skinny young man but is in a word.....a "hottie". In fact, I'd go as far as saying that he's smoking hot! He's also matured, become a successful businessman and now uses his middle name "Jackson" and yet his mom has never given up on her dream of fixing him up with her best friend's daughter. Tina Kent is not above using emotional blackmail either to get her son to do what she asks and needless to say, Jackson reluctantly agrees. He's not looking forward to spending 4 days at a ski resort in Fool's Gold with Katie but he's being open minded for his mother's sake.

When Katie and Jackson meet again, you can tell that the romantic fireworks are not far off. The physical attraction between the two is almost palpable and soon they realize that they like each other's personality. Of course, their romance is not smooth or easy as they have to contend with Katie's family for the next 4 days. Jackson soon realizes that Katie's family is more than a little high strung or energetic, they don't appreciate Katie for the person that she is and make continuous inappropriate comments about her single status and refer to her childhood weight issues. The antagonist of the story, and every story has one, is Courtney- the bride. Talk about "Bridezilla", this young woman is a selfish, self-centered brat and not surprisingly her groom, Alex, is cut from the same cloth.

The question becomes will Jackson love Katie in spite of her family? I have to say that I loved what Ms. Mallery did with the family. They were a little over the top but I've actually met people like this and I suspect that you have too. Weddings are always an entertaining event and this one is no different. I won't tell you how everything is resolved because that would be spoiling things but I will recommend that you read this novella - it's well worth the price. You can purchase the entire anthology, Summer Brides, from either Harlequin or any of the bookstores. You can also purchase the novella separately as an ebook, which is what I did and there are several outlets where you can do so, I've listed them below:

Book Blurb:Confessions of a Liberal Lover is a modern day fairy tale about the amorous misadventures of Maud and the magical talking statue of a gargoyle who is her most trusted friend and advisor. As a child, Maud didn't have many friends. Her tongue was too sharp, her temper too short and she was just too smart for her own damned good—something her father repeatedly pointed out when she was a boy crazy teenager.

But Maud's troubles really begin when, convinced the secret to happiness lies in finding a virile incredibly handsome man like the heroes in her beloved romance novels, she starts searching for the man of her dreams. Will she finally listen to the gargoyle's repeated warnings that she's looking for love in all the wrong people? Or, after so many failed relationships, will she just accept that her Prince Charming isn't ever going to show up?

My Review:

This is an interesting story about a woman's search for Prince Charming and all of the detours that she took to find him. The plot moves at a very good pace and the dialogue is very modern and sharp. The characters do use some colorful language and there are some spicy scenes so I would definitely not recommend this for anyone under the age of 17. The story is completely told in the first person point of view.

The story starts with Maud explaining her relationship with her father. Maud was born a liberal thinker and her parents spent quite a bit of time trying to temper her behavior. At the age of four Maud realizes that the house is not big enough for her and her father so she decides to run away; as you can guess she only got as far as a block away before she was lured back by her mother's offer of ice-cream. Maud is not happy at home because she feels that she is always being compared to her sister Sybil and coming up short. Maud became a reader at a young age and by the time she was thirteen she was addicted to historical romance novels. It didn't take long for Maud to realize that she wanted a virile, handsome man of her own, like the heroines in the novels but she soon realized that she would have to settle for something less due to her circumstances. By the time that Maud hits high school, she is completely boy crazy and willing to date just about anyone.

It was when Maud was six years old that she first obtained the gargoyle, a plastic statue of a gothic gargoyle that she won as a prize at a church fair. The impact of this prize was not realized until Maud was 16 and having boy problems with a boyfriend who wanted her to "go all the way" with him, at which time the gargoyle decides to speak up. He proceeds to give Maud the advice that she needs to dump this boy before he dumps her but she refuses his advice and two weeks later what the gargoyle had predicted comes to pass. Maud begins to speak with the gargoyle on a semi regular basis and especially when she is in a relationship.

Maud's dating exploits are hilarious, it seemed as if every man she dated had serious warning issues that she blatantly ignored, against the advice of the gargoyle. The author titled each chapter after the type of relationship or boyfriend that Maud took on. One chapter is titled "The Khaki Kid" after a young man who only wears "khaki", one is titled "The Good Old Boy" after a man who likes to go out in the woods and hunt (never mind that Maud has a serious aversion to violence). While Maud is dating she has moved out of her parents home into an apartment that she shares with a "friend", she obtained a full time job and has even gone back to school to get her degree. She is still speaking with the gargoyle but now puts him in the closet when he disagrees with her.

Maud continues with her dating escapades while she finishes her degree and changes jobs, it is not until she is in her 30's that she finally starts to get a clue. She realizes that none of what she has done to find the "virile, handsome man" has worked out and that the only dependable people in her life are her family. It is when Maud stops looking for her Prince Charming that a man worthy of her finally enters her life and he encourages her to make peace with her dad. Maud comes full circle in her emotional life when she realizes that her father has always loved her, even if he didn't show it in the way that she was expecting.

There are a lot of humorous scenes while Maud is dating and maturing and there are also places where I wanted to yell at Maud and tell her to grow up. I would have liked to have seen Maud mature at a faster rate and realize that she was dating the same "type" of guy, even if he had a different career and looked different. Overall this was an enjoyable book.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure: The book reviewed was provided to the site by the author. No financial remuneration was exchanged.

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